Shopping Small and Smart for Femmes

I very often see other people going to stores like Forever 21 and buying three shirts and two pairs of pants for what I'd normally spend on one top and one bottom elsewhere, and I just can't bring myself to join in. Mass consumerism is a tricky thing, because we've been conditioned to focus more on the "bang for your buck" factor while completely overlooking the quality component of our purchases. If researchers did a study on people that shop primarily at stores like Forever 21 versus people who buy less but focus more on quality, I am CERTAIN that they would find that the bargain shoppers are ultimately spending just as much, if not more, because the clothes they buy do not last and need to regularly be replaced. This, my friends, is how marketing works. Oh wow, you got 3 shirts for $20?! That's awesome! Then they go through the wash once or twice and the fabric is threadbare and falling apart, and the stitching is coming out. Big mass-production companies like this would like us to think they're doing us a huge favor and giving us deals, but really they're just scamming you into spending more over time. I am not too proud to admit that stores like this do have their utility. If I get a last-minute invitation to a party or social function that I don't particularly care about and I need a quick outfit, I'll go to one of those stores and grab a dress for $30. Guilty as charged, but that's fine, since convenience is definitely a relevant factor to the way we spend our money.

My attitude towards my wardrobe is obviously similar to my shopping philosophy. The wardrobe to me is a living, changing organism: it evolves constantly, but essentially remains the same organism. I don't pay too much attention to trends, particularly ones that stray too far from the overarching color palette/vibe of my style. By doing this, I eliminate the need to shop en masse for new clothes each season and discard/donate the unwanted tattered wears of last season. I instead shop each season for a few new pieces that can enhance, update, and coordinate with things I already have. The pieces I have last for years because they are well-made and cost a bit more, but it evens out. A "must-have" in my book isn't something super lavish and on-point with the trend of the moment, it's something fresh and new but still versatile and timeless. 

My lecturing is through for the moment. To further argue my case, however, are great pieces that are made in USA and will stand the test of time and the seasons. You can start taking notes.

Shelter Half is a Los Angeles collective of made in America brands that started up about a year ago. They share my ideals of "conscious commerce" and mindful encouragement of manufacturing and design talents within the USA. The site has an extensive variety of goods, including apparel, housewear, furniture, and accessories. While I adamantly support their cause, I will say that I find the pricing on a lot of their goods to be rather prohibitive for the average starving artist (myself). For example, their eyewear averages from $340 to $595 for a pair of "Retrospecs" frames, with little to no description of the glasses themselves to justify the pricing. Anyone that desperate to look like a character from Mad Men could easily just go to Warby Parker and get a pair for less than a hundred bucks. My pricing criticisms aside, I did find a dress that I felt was worth the price.

Clothilde "Biarritz" Dress from Shelter Half, $185

Behold, the Biarritz dress. This kimono-style dress from Shelter Half is a color that I ordinarily wouldn't go for, but the simplicity of the dress allows for accessorizing to suit multiple seasons. The $185 for such a minimalist design finds its value in (I'm assuming) the craftsmanship of the piece and its versatility. This dress would be super comfortable for warmer weather with a floppy hat and a pair of espadrilles, and for fall/winter, i.e. now, I'd pair this with textured knit tights and short boots like Blundstone 500's or even L.L. Bean boots. Up top, throw on a cozy scarf with complementing colors like the 10,000 Lakes Scarf from Mrs. P.Hicks (below).

Mrs. P. Hicks 10,000 Lakes Scarf in Gray (top) and Blue, $62

These scarves are proudly made in USA at one of our oldest knitting mills. I'd probably opt for the gray with the Biarritz dress just because I'd want to neutralize the orange, but the dress is simple enough that you could more or less go crazy with chunky knitted accessories to spruce it up.

My point here is that you could spent $185 on a dress, which with the right accessories you could basically wear year-round, or you could spend $185 on several dresses, poorly constructed with low-quality fabrics that will look like garbage after a few heavy rounds of use. If your sense of self-worth is not dependent upon the sheer quantity of garments hanging in your closet, my less-is-more-is-less philosophy should appeal to you. If up until this point you've been driven solely by bargain hunting, I hope that this crash course in quality-economics has been a least a little enlightening. 

Shelter Half

Mrs. P.Hicks

Dreams of Camping

While I do understand the appeal of using rugged products for urban life, (via Range Rover commercials where the safari SUV is navigating Manhattan), nothing compares to going off the pavement and using products with utility to reconnect with the natural world. I've never been camping for real, and every fall I get the urge to try it. I love hiking and being in the woods, and I generally prefer being as far away from large crowds of people as possible, so camping is extremely appealing to me. This year I've vowed to finally get out in the woods, pitch a tent, and warm myself by a campfire. In my dream camping universe, these are a few things I would have.

Montana Canvas, based just north of Yellowstone National Park, makes all of their camping products right here in the USA. They also have all sorts of camping stoves, bedrolls, saddle packs, and whatever else you could imagine needing out in the grand old wilderness. I'd have no problem cozying up in their Wedge Tent after an evening of drinking cocoa by the campfire in my trusty Stanley thermos.

For just about a hundred years Stanley has been making super durable and functional thermalware. Because let's be honest... nobody wants lukewarm coffee or cocoa on a chilly night. Or cold feet.

Keeping warm while camping is a preoccupation of mine, and I'm pretty passionate about socks. I think it goes along with being passionate about good boots, but the right socks for the job can make life a thousand times easier. I have a pair of these Fox River Mills Outdoorsox, and they are absolutely brilliant. The company started in Wisconsin in 1900 making socks for lumberjacks, whom I'd imagine have pretty high standards. Their wool wicks away perspiration and moisture to keep your feet dry, so you never get clammy feet. They are extra cushiony as well, perfect for keeping your feet comfortable on a long day of hiking in the woods, or chopping down trees, (your choice). 

Campfire time in your warm socks with your awesome thermos seems a little lacking without being wrapped up in a blanket. Pendleton's National Parks collection of blankets are perfect for this task. The Yosemite and Glacier Park editions are my favorites, but they all have amazing, retro stripes and prints in each park's official colors. For the times at home in between camping adventures, this blanket would look beautiful on a bed as well. 

No camping supply list is complete without a sleeping bag. The Sportsman's XL Camp Sleeping Bag from LL Bean is big and roomy -- great for someone like me with a dog who likes to snuggle up under the covers, or just someone really tall.

This is all really great, but it definitely seems like a lot to carry. Enter Topo Designs, whose clutch collaboration we explored previously. Topo was started by a couple of dudes in Colorado who love doing things outside and wanted to make quality gear that could keep up to their standards. All of their bags are both rugged and multifunctional, but for my camping-fantasy purposes, the Klettersack would likely serve me best. You can fit plenty of stuff inside, and it has leather lash tabs on the exterior to hook on extra gear if necessary. It has a laptop sleeve inside as well, for keeping it rugged once you return to your more urban pursuits.

Mark my words, my camping fantasy will come true this fall. When it does, photos and anecdotes will surely follow. In the meantime, I will continue to dream about all of these goodies and try to hide my credit cards from myself. 

As always, I'd appreciate any input or suggestions on camping supplies, as I am clearly a camping fangirl/newbie.

Montana Canvas

Stanley

Fox River Mills

Pendleton

LL Bean

Topo Designs